Elder-General of the TBRE
The 'Elder-General of the Teddy Bear Republic Empire '(Tedofian: ) is the non-partisan head of state of the TBRE. The incumbent Elder-General is Benjamin Vuener, who has served in the position since being inaugurated on 1st October 2012. The position of the Elder-General as figurehead of the country and representative of its unity, and the mostly ceremonial and reserve powers attached to it, are detailed in the second Constitution of the TBRE. They are advised in the exercising of their powers by the Elder Council. Candidates for the position are by a cross-chamber legislative committee, before being approved by a qualified majority of both national and provincial legislatures, and the Teddy electorate. There is no fixed term for the Elder-General, although current convention dictates that they retire from the position after six years, in the middle of a stable President-Minister's term to ensure a smooth transition process. The Elder-General is ex officio Protector-Regent of the Republic of Valreșia, a protectorate under the TBRE, but generally delegates his roles in that position to a local Lord Protector. History The office of the Elder-General is derived from the clan chief elders of old, who were primus inter pares among the elders of a clan council which held administrative, military and judicial powers in their territory. They were usually elected by the clan council for sixteen seasons. Chief elders convened and presided over council meetings, served as the chief representative and diplomat of the clan, and were the intermediary between the clan council and the separate religious Sage's Council. The direct predecessor of the position was the Royal President of the First Republic, who was the directly elected head of state and government of the TBRE. Following the Second World War, it was recognised that the Royal President had too many broad and extensive powers, and it was decided to split the roles of head of state and government up in the 1948 Constitution, which also created the modern Second Republic. The head of state became known as the Elder-General. Although initially the position was criticised as being too weak, Elder-General Bluhull's influential role in the calming domestic tensions following TBRE-USSRT negotiations over the post-Second World War Treaty of Rouzab led many to see the value in a position that could rise above party politics. The role also proved influential during the 1980s Dilemna, when regional relations cooled between countries who supported different sides in the Cold War, helping to mediate between Teddy party leaders. The first female Elder-General, Geraldine Flansveld, was elected in 1973, and the first non-Teddy Elder-General was Frank Denvin, a human who was inaugurated in 1994. Title, Protocol and Symbols The Elder-General's official style is "His/Her/Hir Imperial Majesty". The present three possible pronouns have been options since 2012, when "Hir" (and several alternatives) was added to reflect the legal recognition of persons who choose not to identify with any gender. The strange choice of "Imperial Majesty", especially given the TBRE's nature as a republic, is a leftover of the negotiated Treaty of Polus, whereby the future of the TBRE's predecessor bear states was determined. The monarchies of the TBRE successfully argued that too many of their institutions, many of which would remain in the new republic, derived their authority from the monarchy in royal charters and the like. Furthermore, many nobles and honorees were reluctant to give up their titles, on top of their land and authority. Therefore, just like the word "Empire" in the TBRE, the style of "Imperial Majesty" is a legal fiction. It allows previous royal orders to promulgate, including royally awarded honors to persons (all of which have become virtually defunct with the death of their last holders, and the creation of a new TBRE honors system) and military units, and patronages to institutions such as Royal Besiden College of the University of Toyland. The title also gives the Elder-General and the National Government authority over TBRE colonies, renamed Overseas Territories during the DeBarez Labour-Worker Government. titles, salute Inauguration Standard Duties and Functions Write the second section of your page here. Office The Elder-General is also the Colonel-in-Chief of various military regiments, such as the Elder-General's Own Paw and Mounted Regiment (The 1st Teddy Keyshifter Guards). Nomination, Selection and Removal When the sitting Elder-General expresses his intention to retire, a Special Cross-Committee is formed among the members of the Congress of the TBRE. It differs from a legislative Joint Committee in that it includes all three chambers of the legislature, not just the Chamber of Representatives and the Senclan. Convention dictates that all three heads of chamber are involved in the committee, and that the Cross-Committee is made up of at least twenty members of the legislature. The Cross-Committee accepts referall nominations (self-nominations are not allowed), and vets potential candidates' background for a period of roughly three months. A shortlist of roughly four or five candidates is chosen and announced to the public for a period during which the public may submit evidence. The shortlist is then presented to a full sitting of Congress in a secret ballot, which also has the option to reject all the candidates presented. The winning candidate is then presented to the Congress as a whole once more, and simultaneously presented to the provincial legislatures and the Teddy electorate. At least two-thirds of each group must approve the candidate, and all groups must approve the candidate. If approved, the Elder-General Designate is then sworn in on the first day of the next month. Elder-Generals must swear the following oath: Residence Write the second section of your page here. Compensation Security and transport List of Elder-Generals Write the second section of your page here. Category:TBRE Category:Politics of the TBRE